Environmentalist Rob Greenfield wanted to change that. To get people to think more about the garbage they create, he decided to wear every piece of trash he produced for a month. The result is a “garbage suit” that’s got people talking:

Image Credit: RobGreenfield.TV

Living life in a garbage suit

Greenfield didn’t hide in his home during this experiment. He went about his normal life in New York City. He ate out, went shopping, took the subway and walked around town – all while wearing his trash suit.

He got a lot of odd looks while shopping in Target or waiting in line for his lunch at McDonald’s.

Fortunately, he washed all of the trash before wearing it so the smell didn’t get out of control, but the amount of trash made it hard to move. By month’s end he was wearing about 135 pounds of garbage and could barely fit through doorways or sit down.

As Greenfield waddled around town in his trash suit, he gave the public an unforgettable snapshot of the massive amount of garbage that one person generates. He shared his journey on social media and even made a film about it called Trash Me.

By doing so, he hopes more Americans will take steps to reduce their garbage footprint.

Small efforts like buying a reusable water bottle, taking canvas bags to the grocery store, using dishes rather than paper products and eating leftover food can all curb the glut of garbage.

A step toward zero-waste

By making small changes, consumers could adjust to a zero-waste lifestyle where no garbage is produced.

The zero-waste movement is already catching on. Germany, for example, has zero-waste supermarkets where food is sold unpackaged. Consumers bring in their own containers and fill up on things like cereal, granola and produce.

Now imagine how much waste you could eliminate by refilling bottles of your favorite household products like shampoo or cleaners. Technology like this already exists and it’s consumer-ready. Zero-waste solutions like this could make a huge impact on the amount of waste slated for landfills.

Consumers simply bring in their refillable bottle and put it inside a refill station, and the machine washes, fills and seals the bottle.

Despite the growth of the zero-waste movement, retailers don’t believe American consumers will embrace the trend. Don’t let retailers make assumptions about you as a consumer.

While you might not be willing to wear your garbage for a month, tell retailers that you are willing to make efforts to move toward a zero-waste lifestyle. Let retailers know that you’re ready to refill by signing the petition below and making your voice heard.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT!

JOIN THE MOVEMENT!

It's time to tell retailers and manufacturers that we want new technologies to replace plastic waste.

The government hasn't taken the steps necessary to ban plastic waste so it's up to us - the consumer - to petition retailers and manufactures for change.

The technologies exist to create refill stations at your local retail store so why you haven't seen them? Retailers and manufacturers are hesitant to install refill stations because it's a huge industry shift and, most importantly, they have no idea that consumers want it.

When it comes to change, consumers have to take charge. It's time for you to get involved and tell retailers and manufactueres that #WeWantRefill.

The #WeWantRefill movement is gaining momentum, but more must be done. To show retailers how serious you are about using refill technology, please take a minute to sign this petition to send a clear message to retailers that it's time to refill, not waste.

WeWantRefill Website

We will never share or sell your information. This petition will be sent to popular retailers and manufacturers to show them that we do care about the planet and want change! Occasional updates will be emailed to update you on the progress of the campaign.

Join in the conversation!

Share your thoughts about refilling household products and let consumer brands and retailers know that you want the choice to keep plastic out of landfills!

#WeWantRefill

Did you know that the technology exists for you to refill your consumer household goods in your local store? Everything from lotion to laundry detergent can be transferred cleanly, easily and at a lower cost than you pay now.

What's the hold up? Big retail doesn't think you want it. #WeWantRefill is dedicated to the mission of giving consumers the option to refill household products in local stores. Because our planet deserves better than heaps of plastic laundry jugs.